Upgrade from RT-N56U to RT-N66U for in-house equipment move?

[shrike4242]

Currently, I have an Asus RT-N56U that I've been extremely happy with for almost the last year. Running the current stock ASUS firmware, it's been running without any issue connecting the following on my home network:

2 home laptops, wireless 5GHz connections
1 work laptop, wireless 5GHz connection
2 Ethernet-connected printers
HTPC, 360, PS3, Wii connected via Ethernet switch to MoCa bridge
5 Tivos connected via MoCa bridges
NAS (if I can find one that works for my purposes, hopefully will be a Synology DS1512+) connected via Ethernet

The router is connected to a Charter 30Mbps / 4Mbps cable modem connection recently, though had run a 24Mbps / 3Mpbs UVerse connection without issue. Currently, the router is located on the upper floor of a 1700 sq ft single-floor house, close to the middle of the floor. So far, I've had no connection issues from the router and have had 3-5 bars of signal strength consistently. Shortly, it'll be moved into the basement of the house at one end of the floor, with most of the wireless devices being upstairs on the opposite end of the house. It's an open ceiling over the router, though most of the basement is a drop ceiling with a ceiling grid.

I wasn't sure how the N56U would work in that situation with being in the basement with no external antennas, so I thought about doing an upgrade to the RT-N66U with the things I've read about it having better range with the external antennas and 450Mbs on both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. Though, from what I've read, it seems a little more squirrel-y than the N56U and the firmware doesn't seem to be as solid. The heat concerns also seem to be something I'm curious about, though if it's in a basement, it should work better to keep cool.

If I've been happy with the N56U, would it make sense to look into the N66U? Has the firmware matured enough to have it be as solid as the N56U and be a worthwhile swap? The original reviews I've found were back around when it was initially released, though I know a number of firmware revisions have happened since then, though the early reviews said it was a bit flaky. More recent reviews seem to be better, even though some random product reviews on Amazon and NewEgg tell some issues with units dying quickly and other issues.

The N56U has been running so well, I'd hate to give myself issues with making a change to something less reliable.

 

[Geraner]

When it comes to the point that you need really a good wireless range, then I would say the the RT-N66U is worth to buy as an upgrade. I didn't had the N56U, but the wireless coverage of the N66U is just amazing compared to any other wireless router I had before. Also the wireless speed is amazing.

The firmware is stable on my router. Have no issues at all.
And you always can use other then ASUS Stock firmware if you want, for example Tomato Shibby.

Only the first version of the firmware for the N66U had really strange issues, which ASUS fixed just a few days after they relaised the product. Since then I don't think that I had any issues, no matter which firmware I used.

Suggested firmware versions are:
- Latest ASUS Stock firmware
- Latest RMerlin firmware which builds on ASUS Stock firmware
- Tomato Shibby latest version (101)
You can try each firmware and always flash the router back to ASUS stock firmware if you are not pleased with the other firmware versions.

 

[shrike4242]

Good to hear that the firmware issues seem to be worked out with the current firmware, and as it's a Broadcom-based unit, there are other options out there like you've mentioned.

Most of the reviews out there are when it came out earlier in the year and they all mentioned oddities with it. Going though the forums here about what's been discussed about the N66U seemed to have that confirmed, though it's good that someone could say directly about it being no longer an issue.

I also looked at the AC66U instead of the N66U, though as I don't have any 802.11AC gear yet, the standard is still non-final and upgrading my wireless devices isn't something I'm likely be doing for a while, the N66U seemed like a better option as a more "mature" product plus a cheaper option.

Since you have both the AC66U and the N66U, how do they compare?

 

[Geraner]

In Wireless 802.11N there is not difference when it comes to performance comaring the RT-N66U and the RT-AC66U.

Have done a very detailed review comparing both products with each other.
You can read the review here:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=7978

To buy a RT-N66U or RT-AC66U is mainly a question about:
1) Money you want to spent on a router
2) Whether you want and need the latest available technology

The RT-AC66U is about 150 US$ more expensive here in Sweden, compared to the RT-N66U.
It will take some time until the new laptops will have wirless network cards with 802.11AC even though it soon will be possible to buy an 802.11AC USB Card from ASUS.

When coming to router stability I haven't seen any differences between the RT-N66U and RT-AC66U. Have used the RT-AC66U now for about two weeks.

If you want the latest technology and don't care about the extra cost of 150 US$ then you should buy the RT-AC66U. Otherwise go for the RT-N66U.

The only negativ point with the RT-AC66U at the moment is that there is no free-firmware existing for this product, like the Tomato Shibby or others which you can install on the RT-N66U. But this is maybe only a matter of time and actually not really a "negativ point" since the ASUS firmware is rock solid in my point of view even if Tomato and others maybe offer more features. But at the same time you will loos the just released ASUS AiCloud feature, when using non-ASUS firmware on you router.

 

[RMerlin]

The only negativ point with the RT-AC66U at the moment is that there is no free-firmware existing for this product, like the Tomato Shibby or others which you can install on the RT-N66U.

There's Asuswrt-Merlin, which will bring quite a few features Tomato has, including OpenVPN.